Content management in a broadband printing system

• US 7,227,658 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Rubio, Ramon, Dorfman, Gregory, Warshaw, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huntsinger; Peter K.
• Application Number:
  US09/920,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20030025931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.15, 709/200, 709/201, 395/101, 725/37, 725/44
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1246 by handling markup languages, e.g. XSL, XML, HTML
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1275 Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

An interface between a service provider application and a content providing application in a network printing system, comprising functionality for configuring the interface for the service provider to interface with the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises service provider administration properties, functionality for configuring the interface for a multi-service operator to interface with the content providing application on a second level, wherein the second level comprises multi-service level administration properties that comprise a portion of the service provider administration properties, and functionality for configuring the interface for an end user to interface with the content providing application on a third level, wherein the third level comprises end user level administration properties that comprise a portion of the multi-service provider administration properties. The service provider administration properties may comprise system maintenance, service maintenance and subscriber maintenance operations, the multi-service provider administration properties may comprise the service provider administration properties except system maintenance operations and service maintenance operations specifically relating to service provider level operations, and the end user administration properties may comprise the subscriber maintenance operations.

Claims

1. A publication service interface between a content service provider application and a content providing application in a network printing system, comprising:

functionality for configuring the interface for the content service provider to interface with the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises content service provider administration properties, wherein the content service provider administration properties comprise a service configuration operation, which includes at least one of an operation of adding a content service provider and an operation of deleting a content service provider, for a parameter to provide a service provided by the content service provider;

functionality for configuring the interface for a multi-service operator to interface with the content providing application on a second level, wherein the second level comprises multi-service level administration properties that comprise a portion of the content service provider administration properties which excludes the service configuration operation for the parameter to provide the service provided by the content service provider application; and

functionality for configuring the interface for an end user to interface with the content providing application on a third level, wherein the third level comprises end user level administration properties that comprise a portion of the multi-service provider administration properties.

2. An interface according to claim 1, wherein the content service provider administration properties further comprise system maintenance, service maintenance and subscriber maintenance operations.

3. An interface according to claim 2, wherein the multi-service provider administration properties comprise the content service provider administration properties except system maintenance operations and service maintenance operations specifically relating to content service provider level operations.

4. An interface according to claim 3, wherein the end user administration properties comprise the subscriber maintenance operations.

5. An interface according to claim 2, wherein the system maintenance operations comprise viewing system status, viewing operators, adding and editing operators, and deleting operators, the service maintenance operations comprise viewing services, suspending services, resuming services and adding/removing services, and the subscriber maintenance properties comprise viewing subscribers, adding and editing subscribers and deleting subscribers.

6. An interface according to claim 5, wherein the multi-service administration properties comprise each of the system maintenance properties except some adding and editing operators and some deleting operators operations, each of the service maintenance operations except adding and removing services, and each of the subscriber maintenance operations.

7. An interface according to claim 5, wherein the end user administration properties comprise the subscriber maintenance properties.

8. An interface according to claim 1 further comprising functionality for obtaining content information from the content providing application at a scheduled delivery time, and for managing delivery of the content information to the end user.

9. An interface according to claim 1, wherein the interface can be configured differently for each of a plurality of multi-service operators to provide each multi-service operator with a different interface at the second level to the content providing application.

10. An interface according to claim 1, wherein the interface for the content service provider application on the first level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the content service provider administration properties.

11. An interface according to claim 1, wherein the interface for the content service provider application on the second level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the multi-service level administration properties that comprise a portion of the content service provider administration properties.

12. An interface according to claim 1, wherein the interface for the content service provider application on the third level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the end user level administration properties that comprise a portion of the multi-service provider administration properties.

13. An interface according to claim 1, further comprising:

functionality for obtaining identification information corresponding to a user; and

functionality for determining a level of the interface in accordance with the obtained identification information.

14. A method of managing content information between a content service providing application and a content providing application, comprising the steps of:

the content service providing application interfacing with the content providing application on a first level to perform content service provider operator level administration operations, wherein the content service provider operator level administration operations comprise a service configuration operation, which includes at least one of an operation of adding a content service provider and an operation of deleting a content service provider, for a parameter to provide a service provided by the content service providing application;

a multi-service provider interfacing with the content providing application on a second level to perform multi-service operator level administration operations, the multi-service operator level operations being less than all of the content service provider operator level administration operations and excluding the service configuration operation for the parameter to provide the service provided by the content service provider application; and

an end user interfacing with the content providing application on a third level to perform end user operator level administration operations, the end user operator level administration operations being less than all of the multi-service operator level operations.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the content service provider operator level administration properties further comprise system maintenance, service maintenance and subscriber maintenance operations.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the multi-service operator level administration properties comprise the content service provider administration properties except system maintenance operations and service maintenance operations specifically relating to content service provider operator level operations.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the end user operator level administration properties comprise the subscriber maintenance operations.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the interface on the first level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the content service provider operator level administration operations.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein the interface on the second level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the multi-service operator level administration operations that are less than all of the content service provider operator level administration operations.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein the interface on the third level is controlled by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the end user operator level administration operations that are less than all of the multi-service provider operator level administration operations.

21. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining identification information corresponding to a user; and

determining a level of the interface in accordance with the obtained identification information.

22. A method of managing content information in a network printing system, comprising the steps of:

a printing content service provider, which maintains a content printing service application, configuring an interface between the content printing service application and a content providing application, which is maintained by a content provider, so that the content printing service application can perform content service provider administration operations with the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises administration operations comprising a service configuration operation, which includes at least one of an operation of adding a content service provider and an operation of deleting a content service provider, for a parameter to provide a service by the printing content service provider;

a multi-service operator, which provides subscriptions for a printing service provided by the printing content service provider to end users of the multi-service operator, configuring the interface to interface between the multi-service operator and the content providing application so that the multi-service operator can perform administration operations on the content providing application on a second level, wherein the second level comprises a portion of the content service provider administration operations excluding the service configuration operation for the parameter to provide the service by the content service provider; and

an end user, which subscribes to the printing service provided by the multi-service operator, configuring the interface between the end user and the content providing application for the end user to perform administration operations on the content providing application on a third level.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the printing content service provider configures the interface by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the administration operations on the first level.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the multi-service operator configures the interface by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the administration operations on the second level.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the end user configures the interface by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the administration operations on the third level.

26. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

prior to any one of the printing content service provider, the multi-service operator and the end user configuring the interface, obtaining identification information corresponding to the user; and

determining a level of the interface in accordance with the obtained identification information.

27. A network printing system, comprising:

a printing content service provider that provides a content printing service application, the content printing service application including an interface with a content providing application of a content provider that provides content information to be included in a publication generated by the content printing service application, the interface being configured for the printing content service provider to perform content service provider administration operations on the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises administration operations comprising a service configuration operation, which includes at least one of an operation of adding a content service provider and an operation of deleting a content service provider, for a parameter to provide a service by the printing content service provider;

a multi-service operator that provides subscriptions to the printing service to end users, the interface being configured for the multi-service operator to perform administration operations on the content providing application on a second level, wherein the second level comprises a portion of the content service provider administration operations excluding the service configuration operation for the parameter to provide the service by the content service provider; and

an end user that subscribes to the printing service with the multi-service operator, the interface being configured for the end user to perform administration operations on the content providing application on a third level.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the interface for the printing service application is configured on the first level by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the content service provider administration operations.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein the interface for the content service provider application is configured on the second level by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the multi-service operator administration operations.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein the interface for the content service provider application is configured on the third level by operating a configuration dialog that enables configuration of the end user level administration operations.

31. A system according to claim 27, wherein, prior to the interface being configured by any one of the printing content service provider, the multi-service operator and the end user, the printing service application obtaining identification information corresponding to the user, and determining a level of the interface in accordance with the obtained identification information.

32. A broadband printing system in which content information maintained by a content provider is printed on an end user'"'"'s printer based on subscription information provided by the end user to a broadband printing content service provider, comprising:

plural content providers that each maintain a content providing application of content information for printing on the end user'"'"'s printer;

a broadband printing content service provider that operates a broadband printing service that obtains content information from at least one of the plural content providers and processes the obtained content information to be printed on the end users printer;

plural multi-service operators that each receive subscription requests for the broadband printing service from plural end users, wherein each multi-service operator can determine which of the plural content providers the end user can request a subscription to; and

plural end users that subscribe with at least one of the plural multi-service operators to receive content information and have it printed on the end user'"'"'s printer,

wherein, an interface between the broadband content printing service and the content providing application provides for the broadband content printing service to perform content service provider operations with the content providing application on a first level, wherein the first level comprises administration operations comprising a service configuration operation, which includes at least one of an operation of adding a content service provider and an operation of deleting a content service provider, for a parameter to provide a service by the printing content service provider, for each of the plural multi-service operators to perform operations with the content providing application on a second level lower than the first level, wherein the second level comprises a portion of the content service provider administration operations excluding the service configuration operation for the parameter to provide the service by the content service provider, and for each of the end user'"'"'s to perform operations with the content providing application on a third level lower than the second level.